To say it’s Merry Christmas not Happy Christmas?

[MrsGrindah]

It irrationally annoys me when people say Happy Christmas.

This is the issue my grandmother has rambling, merry has connotations of drunkeness when people should be focusing on the spiritual side of things. I happily get merry at Christmas but I don't say Merry Christmas

Although my favourite is 'Yuletide Felicitations' a la Margo from The Good Life....

Merry Christmas here too

Merry Christmas pre-dates Dickens by miles, it was first used in the 1500s then it fell out of favour because "merry" was too closely related to "merry making" (being drunk and loud) so people who thought themselves above all that adopted "happy" and "merry" became associated with the lower classes. A shitload of those lower classes headed over to America over the years and took "merry" with them so Americans say "merry" and England traditionally says both but "happy" is considered the posher of the two.

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night! 🎄

@FoxyTheFox Very impressive!

No I don’t think we use merry for anything other than Christmas. I like merry Christmas if it’s linked to happy new year, otherwise I would probably say happy.

Merry implies drunkeness.

Happy is perfectly acceptable unless you are following up with a remark about NY
Happy Xmas and a Merry New Year NO
Merry Xmas and a Happy NY YES

TBH, happy anything works right now. Just choose Happy.

@FoxyTheFox very interesting! I'm American and can confirm we all still say merry here. Did not know the history but had always wondered why the difference.

Nope cannot bring myself to say “ Happy”..it just sounds wrong!

I like Joyous Yuletide. Or Compliments of the season.

I might just go with “He’s been!”

( still lighthearted)

Merry Christmas
Happy New Year

Happy Christmas doesnt sound right!

Happy birthday, happy new year even happy holidays. But it's Merry Christmas

Happy Xmas and a Merry New Year
More accurate if you are driving to see family at Xmas and out on the town for NY.

I agree! It's Father Christmas & Merry Christmas in our house!

This year given how many people will not be here, I think Merry Christmas is better.

The problem with "Happy Christmas" is it then sounds ever-so-clunky with "Happy New Year".

For me it's always been "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" - much like the song we've had for over a century.

Just for lolz, the Italian is:

buon Natale e Felice Anno nuovo

sort of "good Christmas and Happy New Year"

This thread proves people will argue about anything. I quite like Merry Christmas but I'm not insistent on it.

This thread proves people will argue about anything

No it doesn't.

I will allow that Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year sounds wrong though.

The Queen says 'Happy Christmas' in her speech to avoid the connotations of drunkenness that 'merry' has.

Either is fine by me!

@DGRossetti yes it does!

Blessed Yule for me.

I have people wishing me Merry/Happy Yule.

I don't mind, it's just a word.

If I know they're non pagan and celebrate Christmas then I wish them Happy Christmas